Today is the first day of February, and it’s fitting that I’m making changes. I’m taking STARDUST MIRACLE off Free or 99 cents everywhere, up to the previous price of $3.99. As soon as Kindle ups the price to 99 cents, I’ll change their price to $3.99, too. It will probably take a few days for the price changes to go into effect, so if you haven’t downloaded STARDUST MIRACLE already, now is the time.

That’s not all. On Jan. 2nd, I started my 5th Miracle Interrupted book. Early this week I realized I was going in the wrong direction. I changed the entire plot, keeping the same characters – but it still wasn’t working. I finally realized last night that with the change in the plot I lost all reasons to keep the couple apart. The biggest conflict was the heroine wasn’t ready to live with the hero, even though they loved each other. That just wasn’t good enough to sustain an entire book.

I came to this realization just before I went to bed. I don’t get depressed often, but I was depressed about this. I didn’t know what to do, whether I should start another Miracle Interrupted book or go in a different direction. That’s when a flood of ideas came to me for two characters from other Miracle Interrupted books. Even ideas for the beginning and the big ending scene. I went to bed and kept hopping out to scribble more ideas. This morning, I woke up and thought of even more plot points.

None of that happened with the previous story. I’m excited about this, and I wasn’t excited about the story I was writing. That should’ve told me something. I did lose a month, but I’m going to try to write faster.

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10 Responses to “Changes”

That is so cool that you found your direction, Edie. I guess I’ve never been in the middle of a book and then lost all direction. I guess as a pantser, I tend to have a couple of directions to go in.

I also love it when I get ideas in the middle of the night. They feel so brilliant (and usually are). I keep a pen and a pad of paper by my bedside. I KNOW I’ll never remember any ideas that percolate during the night. Gotta get ’em down immediately. Drives John nuts. LOL

Edie, It’s great that you have so many ideas for a new book in your Miracle Interrupted series. If the one you started a month ago isn’t jelling, why not let it stew a bit an begin fresh with the story that’s calling you forward? If something isn’t working, why continue to frustrate yourself? Maybe that book will resolve for you when you’re almost done with your new ideas. Good luck!

Do you have a pen and paper or something available for you when you have ideas come to you? I can’t imagine trying to keep track of it all like you writers do! I am looking forward to more Miracle books. I still need to read Miracle Lane, as that one sounds good with the mystery to it. Good luck with the new direction you are taking with this next Miracle book. 🙂

Amy, I have pen and cut up paper all over my house. I almost always carry paper in my purse, too.

I actually scrapped the entire book and started a new one with a different hero and heroine. The other one just wasn’t working. There wasn’t a strong enough reason to keep the hero and heroine apart. I’m already over 10K words on the new one and it’s working well.

I hope you enjoy Miracle Lane! My favorite so far might be Miracle Pie, because I love the way it all came together.

That’s why we have to listen to our muses and our characters. I just finished editing Book 3 of the Soul String Saga and I’m crying and through the last chapter or so I’m saying no I don’t want to do this,but I kept getting pushed to go down that path.

It was the right one. Everything I did made that book more powerful. I know this because when my editor read it she agreed and told me why.

Sometimes those quirky or interesting characters don’t have enough in their real selves to sustain a story. You haven’t wasted a month. You learned so much. Even better that time you spent mucking around where you didn’t need to be allowed those other characters the chutpaz to assert themselves.

Casey, congrats on getting another book out so soon. You are fast! And it’s great when push donw the harder path and they make you feel so much emotion. If it does that to you, it will do it to the reader.

Edie,
I’m seeing this post late (we had a hectic week…), but I wanted to congratulate you on knowing when to change direction with a book. I’ve had things like that happen to me before — I was *sure* I wanted to write about ____ , but then, when I started it, I just didn’t have the energy and excitement I needed to complete it. So bravo to you for recognizing that and moving onto a different Miracle story that fuels your enthusiasm!! I look forward to reading it when you’re ready to share it with the world ;).

Marilyn, good to know I’m not the only one. I’ve done it before, too. I’ve also pushed through books I should never have written, just because I’m so stubborn. I’m still stubborn but I have learned from that. Thanks!